Lamia
by Hazelena
Summary: The time spent with the lamia or under her spell just doesn't go away and is easily forgotten. It lingers in the back of the mind reminding you whenever it seemed you forgot. Arthur doesn't help with his constant questions just trying to get to the bottom of Merlin's strange attitude.
1. Athur

Arthur just couldn't put his finger on it something was wrong with Merlin but what? Ever since he saved him from the Lamia Merlin hasn't been acting like he usually does. It started with the pat he placed on Merlin's shoulder when they were at the town which merlin flinched from and his lack of enjoyment on the ride back to Camelot. Take this morning for example no rise and shine, no lazy daisy not even an up and at'em, the chores all done before Arthur even had a chance to utter them and not even Gaius could find Merlin. Merlin where are you? thought Arthur as he paced his chambers restlessly "My lord it's time for training," interrupted Elyan knocking as he entered the Kings chambers, the oak doors opening behind him.

"Thank you Elyan but surely you should still be resting with that cut on your arm."

"Nonsense it's nothing more than a scratch."

Arthur turned to leave when the thought struck him "Elyan you're close to Merlin do you have any idea why he's acting like he is?" At this Elyan turned away nervously glancing at the floor

"No sire"

"Oh it was just a thought he has been acting strange recently. Even more strange than usual for Merlin and that's an achivement."

The training grounds were the pride of Camelot when Uther was king and Arthur liked to think under his reign they grew even more, the constantly polished swords gleaming in the midday sun ringing as they collide against each other in a fierce battle of strength and wit echoed though the castle making Arthur proud. However, the training was not all as it usually is with Arthur's key knights, usually the ones engaged in the training first and longest, standing in opposite sides of the training ground as if each other's presence repelled them and disgusted them. "Sir Leon, Gwaine, Percival and Elyan come here!" Arthur gestured towards himself with his other hand resting upon his sword at his waist. "Gwen's told me about the lamia herself and Merlin, what do you have to say for yourselves?" bit out Arthur angry at the thought that a magical creature put Gwen in danger, ensnared his best knights (and closest friends) and nearly killed them if it wasn't for Merlin, Gwen and himself. Gwen told him how they during their travels encountered a young girl who enchanted the knights and tried to steal the life out of them but Arthur knew there was something she was hiding but in a moment of rare tact Arthur decided not to push it. Sir Leon immediately looked shocked, stepped back and placed his arms out placatingly

"Sire I promise you we never meant to harm them it was the Lamia we couldn't help it we were powerless."

"Hurt who?" asked Arthur becoming more alarmed with every word out of Leon's mouth.

"Merlin" replied Gwaine looking nervously at Arthur "If you would please let go of your sword Arthur we can explain ourselves." Arthur looked down and his hand was gripping onto the hilt of his sword so hard it turned white

"No, I don't think I shall until I get an explanation why my four best knights have just admitted to abusing my manservant!"


	2. Merlin

Merlin was trying, he really was, it wasn't his fault that any loud noise caused him to startle or if anyone came too close he flinched. He was trying to avoid talking to anyone. Arthur came close causing Merlin to jerk out of the way and run off leaving a confused Arthur behind.

Pathetic.

Merlin knew that it wasn't the Knights fault that they did that to him the Lamia that enchanted them to do it but that didn't stop the pain when the words struck Merlin almost as badly as the hits when Gwen wasn't around.

Worthless.

Merlin was in the secret room in the great library books surrounding him and dust coating every available surface. This was his safety: his room to hide away in when the weight of destiny became too much. Just like now. He was done pretending he was fine as if what had happened never did, that the bruises had faded and he didn't believe the words they said.

Nothing but a servant.

The words echoed around his head the intensity getting louder with every repeat. "Stop" cried out Merlin curling into himself with his hands clamped over his ears, he pleads into the empty room.


	3. Gwen

Lying wasn't something was well versed at normally preferring to tell people the truth no matter the cost however Gwen could keep a secret. It was vital when she worked for the Lady Morgana before she plotted to kill Uther as it protected both their friendship which was looked unfavourably on and Morgana herself as if Uther knew half of what Morgana said when she was angry at him Morgana's punishments would be worse than a night in the cells. This secret was not hers but Merlin's.

It pained Gwen everyday having to see her brother and closest friends act that way towards each other, especially towards herself and Merlin. She was lucky Merlin divert ether attention and anger away from her and onto himself even if that meant a beating for Merlin. Gwen knew Merlin went to great lengths to hide this from her but she wasn't deaf she could hear his cries each night begging the knights to stop, she tried to interfere at the start when Leon was arguing with Merlin but she was pushed to the ground later Merlin approached her and pleaded that Gwen "stay out of trouble and don't interfere as you could get seriously hurt, I don't know what Arthur would do if you came back with bruises or worse."

"Merlin what about yourself surely that applies to you, Arthur cares for you more than he lets on."

"He might do Gwen but I'm strong enough to take it anyway it won't be for long we will get to Camelot and prince dollop head will sort them out and they will apologise." Gwen smiled and reluctantly agrees she wouldn't interfere any more than necessary. The pain Merlin was in was the worst part but there was nothing she could do without making the situation worse so she pulled up her blanket and tried to block out the sounds.


	4. Arthur 2

"Well I'm waiting" said Arthur stepping closer to the knights who seemed to shrink under his glare, "Percival since you were the first to be affected what happened?"

"It started out light your majesty. I found this amazing woman in pain in the woods an obvious prisoner of the bandits she was still bound but she latched onto me as if I was her saviour, it made me feel special my Lord," uttered Percival sheepishly, "How was I so lucky that such a treasure was looking up to me? But then Merlin tried to interfere and bandage her hand, looking back I know I over reacted but she flinched and shied away from his touch like he burned her and that's all I could see so I snapped at Merlin and told him to get back whilst I carried her away from here and him."

"The lamia affected us all Arthur, no one but Gwen and Merlin stayed away from her influence and I am sorry to say they suffered, we could just not understand how they did not worship the ground she walked on why they did not tend to her every need just to see her smile. This caused tension in the group and I was the first to snap" Uttered Sir Leon getting riled up.

"Calm down and carry on with the story," said Arthur still shocked that the lamia still seemed to evoke such strong reactions from them now even after she was dead Arthur began to see what the knights must have been like when she was alive.

"This anger continued on growing until Merlin tried to interfere, tried to say Lamia was evil but she wasn't she was all the good in the world who didn't deserve him" Sir Leon started, taking over form Percival but stopped obviously thinking over his next words "…someone who wasn't even a knight, not even a physician who is nothing but a servant …." Arthurs sword was drew from its scabbard and held against Leon's throat

"Give me one reason why I should not just run you in right now for what you said to Merlin!" shouted Arthur drawing attention from the other practicing knights about why their king was holding one of them at sword point. Leon only stared into the distance

"I can give you no explanations and you won't be interested in my apologies but hold off killing me until you hear the rest of the story as the worst is yet to come. The insults were only the start soon the argument escalated until the threat of physical violence hung in the air. Gwen I believe tried to intervene in one of the arguments but we pushed her down and advance towards her but Merlin spoke up directing all out attention on him. We were all so angry with the lamia whispering into our brains horrid thoughts and despicable action until they happened. I can't remember who threw the first punch but only that it felt good and the pressure inside our heads lessened the more we put in."

"Yet the wanting to hurt Merlin didn't seem to come from her, "interrupted Elyan with dead eyes "but ourselves like the beating was something he deserved. The more we beat him the more it felt like we should his cries were the worst the more they sounded the more we wanted to hear them again to know that Merlin was finally getting what was coming to him for acting like a knight or a member of the court when all he is, is pathetic servant from some small village."

The knights all looked ashamed when Elyan revealed the secret. Arthur looked around to see all the knights that were training had left leaving just him and the four knights alone. Arthur directed his gaze at Elyan "So what happened next?"


	5. Merlin 2

Sorry for the wait but I just wrote the first chapters as as they entered my head and the plot bunny didn't return until now. Thank you for reading.

* * *

Merlin knew there was something wrong with the knights that they wouldn't be acting like this if they were in their right minds. Insisting on going east when innocent men and women lay dying dependent upon the knights to summon Gaius immediately. Yet when Merlin protested and tried to make them see reason they mocked him and continued their desire to return Lamia to her home. Merlin feared for what happened to the knights to make them act like this: to make them cruel. Even Gwen agreed there was something wrong "She's just a girl. How could she affect them this way?"

"I don't know" replied Merlin but he had his suspicions: Magic. He tried hard not to believe that every strange occurrence and tragedy that happened was the fault of the very thing that was intrinsic of him yet as the knights helped Lamia up and flanked her just like they would do for King Arthur Merlin's blood turned cold. They had only found Lamia that morning but the knights treated her as if she was the very reason for their being. Watching Gwaine cover her with the blanket and Percival following her around never letting he be out of his eyesight struck Merlin they had never done that for him so why for her?


	6. Gaius

"Merlin was right this is no ordinary illness. There is sorcery at work here." said Gaius to the town's leader. Oh Merlin what have you got caught up in this time thought Gaius as he exited the room and walked along the road towards where the slave trader was being treated.

"S-Stay back." whimpered the bandit curling away from the female healer refusing to let her touch him.

"What's going on?" Asked Gaius as this strange spectacle came into view as he entered the hut.

"I'm not sure," replied the healer stepping away from the scared bandit to face Gaius her hands full of bandages "The bleeding has stopped and he is about to be patched up but he refuses to let me help him. It's like he's terrified of someone or something."

Gaius walked slowly towards the slave trader trying to act as soothing as possible whilst still getting his attention. "What are you afraid of?" asked Gaius a list of magical animals and enemies popping up in his head as he tried to match their effects to what he saw at the field.

The bandit visibly shuddered and his whimpering started again the man lost in his own memories thrashing on the table. His limbs flailing in the air as if fighting off an enemy "Stay back….please…..go away!" he pleaded "I didn't know. We didn't know."

"You won't get much out of him. He's been doing this on and off since he got here and I fear it's getting worse" said the healer.

He then turned to face Gaius and in a moment of clarity whispered "she was supposed to be harmless we would transport the slave from one area of the land to the south for a profit but half way fights broke out everyone turned on each other. We were suspicious about the girl, some even saying we should free the girl and protect her, then in the confusion and fighting the cage was opened and out she came. She bewitched us. It bewitched us. The beast. The yellow eyes glowing as she removed the life from all of us." The bandit paused and turned to face the ceiling "No please no. Not me. I don't want to die. I don't want to die." The bandit descended back into the madness this ordeal has left him with.

Gaius was now curious a woman that turns into a beast, strips the life out of men but leaves nary a mark. That sounds familiar. Then a thought struck him. Only one creature turns from a female to a beast with glowing yellow eyes that sucks the soul from the body killing them without a scratch: a Lamia.


	7. Arthur 3

Sorry I've not updated this for a while but all of your comments and follows have encouraged me to write and post a new chapter. As always thank you for reading - Hazelena

* * *

"I was on watch that night and decided to patrol the perimeter and check that no bandits or traders were nearby. It was there that she approached me alone. I wouldn't walk away. I couldn't walk away. She slowly came closer and closer. She reached up and grabbed me and all I remember next is the hissing as I fell to the floor." said Elyan looking away his eyes unfocused but his hands clenched tightly into a fist. "I…I…I could have done something. I could have ran her through right there with the sword...I wish I had."

Arthur took a step close to Elyan and clasped his shoulder. "It's alright Elyan for this only you are not to blame. You were under its spell I'm just glad you are alright." At this contact Elyan seemed to relax and his gaze returned to Arthur.

"Thank you sire"

"It wasn't until next morning that we discovered Elyan was missing." Gwaine interrupted taking over from Elyan, "It was past dawn when we woke which immediately caused panic. Leon began to organise a search party ordering Gwen to stay with Lamia. I wonder what might have happened had we kept either myself, Percival or Leon behind. It was Merlin actually who found Elyan's body. It was him who assured us he was still breathing." Gwaine turned towards Elyan, "I have to admit mate you looked pretty dead. Leon and Percival carried Elyan back to camp whilst Merlin and I searched ahead for who did this. Back at camp Merlin suggested taking him back to Gaius but Lamia suggested the castle she knew not far from here."

"So why did you choose the castle putting Elyan's life at risk when Gaius is the only person who might cure him?" questioned Arthur

"My king you do not understand. The Lamia muddled with our thoughts just like how we lashed out at Merlin we also didn't trust him. The voice in my head kept telling me to get rid of him find any excuse he doesn't belong here. Eventually I snapped and told both him and Gwen that they had no say in such matters and that I didn't care if they left or came with us."

"And did none of you suspect that the girl had anything to do with this?" Arthur queried beginning to get a better idea of what Merlin and now apparently Gwen had gone through because of the beast.


	8. Gwen 2

Thank you for all the kudos they have certainly convinced me to write another chapter. I'm sorry about the grammar I wanted to get this chapter up as soon as possible. - Hazelena

* * *

"Merlin?" "MERLIN?" Shouted Gwen as she walked around the castle. Merlin hadn't been seen since they got back. Not even Gaius seemed to know where he is. She had checked his room, the armoury, Arthur's chambers, the kitchen and the stables but Merlin was nowhere to be found. Guinevere was currently walking towards the training fields set aside for the knights where Arthur had mentioned he would be going after their talk in his chambers. At this Gwen stopped a moment to remember the kind words Arthur lavished upon her: "I thought I knew everything about you Guinevere. Your Loyalty. Your wisdom. Since when did you become this fearless hero? Truly, you showed great courage back there." She basked in the glow of the compliments back then just as she did now, her mouth moving upwards into a smile unconsciously. It was times like that that reminded Gwen why exactly she put up with and loved King Arthur Pendragon. Rounding the corner of the castle Gwen spotted figures on the training ground talking aggressively before standing in more relaxed stances. She was about to turn away before she realised just who the figures were: Arthur and his knight. Gwen started running towards the knights, her anxiety about Merlin growing again as he was not a part of the group and could not be seen nearby.

"Arthur," panted Guinevere stopping just short of the knights seemingly shocking all of them who she guessed must not have noticed her approaching.

"Guinevere? What has got you in such a state?" Asked Arthur turning to look at Gwen who was still clearly out of breath and anxious about something. This was not how he left her a mere hour ago.

"It's Merlin, Arthur. He's missing!"


	9. Merlin 3

It wasn't his fault. None of it was but another magical creature was dead at his feet. How was he to convince Arthur to legalise magic when the greatest sorcerer of all time couldn't stop killing his own kin. It was another thing that plagued Merlin in the hidden room. This seemed fitting to Merlin: a forgotten, beaten and broken man amongst the forbidden relics of his religion. The religion that if anyone found out he would be burned at the stake or beheaded like a traitor. The knights didn't know about his magic but they knew something was different. He was never under the lamia's control and the knights saw him as an abomination.

The knights.

Merlin couldn't even think of them as Leon, Gwaine, Percival and Elyan anymore: it hurt too much. He still had the imprint of a boot on his chest from when he tried to reason with them. Leon pushed him down and stomped on his chest, there was nothing Merlin could do. He wasn't as strong as Leon and if he used magic he could hurt Leon or they might do something worse in return.

Arthur.

Has Arthur has discovered him missing yet? Probably when he didn't serve Arthur's breakfast that morning. Or maybe not. Maybe Arthur hasn't noticed and has George fill in for him? Even George can do more than I can. He can stand to be around other people. He isn't useless. Merlin's fear of the knights rushed to the surface and he started to shake again. "Keep your mouth shut or I'll shut it for you" rang clear in Merlin's head. The following slap across his cheek, when he tried in vain to convince Percival, still hurts. "I wish this would all go away," Merlin whispered into the empty room.

"Help."


	10. End

Hi everyone this is Hazelena and I just want to say thanks for all the likes, favorites, follows and comments on this story. As most of you have guessed I will probably not update this story again. I have lost the little plot bunny that was prompting me to write Lamia and it hasn't come back. I will mark this story as complete so you will not be expecting anymore updates. I have had over 24,000 views on this story alone! Thank you all again for everything. - Hazelena


End file.
